Alleged Burglar Chased by Casper Hockey Team Before Being Arrested

A man who allegedly was caught breaking into vehicles at the Casper Ice Arena on Friday was chased by members of the Casper Bobcats hockey team before police officers arrested him on several criminal charges.

Tyler Jacob McDaniel, 22, was booked into jail on recommended charges of auto burglary, interference, marijuana possession as a third or subsequent offense, being under the influence of a controlled substance and probation revocation.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Casper police officers responded to a report of a burglary in progress at the ice arena shortly before 10:30 p.m. A security employee described the suspect to police.

Witnesses told police that a hockey player had gone out to his vehicle to get showering equipment and left his vehicle unlocked. A short time later, teammates told him that someone was going through his vehicle.

The hockey player went outside and observed a suspect in the backseat of his car with the trunk open. The man had the hockey player's bag over his shoulder, and the player confronted him.

The suspect reportedly threw a box at the hockey player and a physical fight ensued. Several punches were thrown before the suspect took off down South Lowell Street.

A woman said she followed the suspect and he jumped into the passenger side of her vehicle. She screamed at him to get out and he did, jumping over a fence on South Lowell.

McDaniel, who gave police a false name, was found hiding in some bushes in an alley south of the 1800 Block of East Second Street.

Marijuana was allegedly found on McDaniel's person.

In an interview with a police detective, McDaniel allegedly admitted that he went into a car at the ice arena intending to drive away in the vehicle. He told the detective that he was injecting himself with methamphetamine every 36 hours or so. He denied possessing marijuana.

A drug recognition expert concluded that McDaniel was under the influence of a controlled substance, likely methamphetamine.

A review of McDaniel's criminal history, police say, showed a drug possession charge from 2015 as well as two convictions for conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine in 2016.